


Tied together by fate

by Merlocked18



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Devon - Freeform, Farmer!Arthur, Fate, M/M, Motorcycles, Pencil, Swearing, Traditional Media, art fic, car breaks down, lurve, photograper!Merlin, windy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-06-03
Packaged: 2018-05-25 22:47:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6213259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlocked18/pseuds/Merlocked18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is driving through the Devon countryside. There is a job interview in Exeter. His car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and he has forgotten to charge his phone. Finally a farmer offers his assistance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Yup, the story starts in chapter 2. Sorry, about that


	2. Want to come back to mine?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur spots a stray.

Arthur is giving his faithful, old vintage Harley, a well-deserved clean. Driving on the dirt roads of Devon does no motorbike any favours.

"I'm sorry, babe." He polishes the tank, caressing it as if it was a lover. He peers at the sky, dark clouds are forming.

"Fucken rain...", he mutters. "I best put you in the shed before it's starts pissing down."

Arthur wheels his beloved into the shed and makes sure the padlocks are good. As he walks to the main house, he feels that the wind has really picked up and a pretty hefty storm is most definitely brewing. He is going to camp in front of a blazing hot fire, that's for damned sure, after he's had a long hot bath. But he needs to empty the letter box first. Bills must have piled up during his month-long road trip in the States.

Gods, he missed the long stretch of open sun-kissed highway on Route 66, a warm wind in his hair. As he opens his letterbox, he sees movement down on the main road. Someone, a man by the looks of him, is walking back and forth, next to a car. Arthur squints. Yes, it is a guy, flailing his arms and, if Arthur squints some more, he'd say the man is kicking the car.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Arthur sighs and leaves the bills in the over-stuffed mailbox and fishes for the keys to his jeep.

He drives down to the junction at the bottom and the man is now running to him. Arthur gets out and plasters on a smile.

 

 

 

 

"Well, hello there. Car trouble?" Arthur greets the man with a wave and the man stops in front of him, looking a bit wild in the eyes. His tie is flapping in the wind. Arthur is quite mesmerized by the way the tie seems to have a life of its own.

 

"I am in a bit of a spot of bother, uhmm..., " the man starts, chewing his lip in a most endearing way. Arthur stares. This is not what he expected, coming down here. The man is fucken lush.

In the next second there is an explosion of lightning and thunder and the heavens open up. The man flails his arms and starts back towards his vehicle but Arthur grabs the man's arm and ushers him to his jeep. "No, my jeep. I've got heating. Get in, before we drown!" The man climbs into the vehicle gratefully. Arthur starts up the engine and turns on the heating on full whack.

 "Fucking grand, this."  The man launches into a tirade about having a meeting in Exeter in less than half an hour, and his phone, he forgot to charge his phone, and how far is it to Exeter, could he please phone a taxi, or could someone take a look at his car, or something.

Arthur finally lets go of the man's arm.

"Jesus, it's fucking freezing."

"Yeah. There is a proper storm coming."

"I'm drenched already, Jesus. Look at my suit, I'll never get that job, looking like this, great."

"You have a job interview?"

"Yeah."

"Exeter is 40 minutes from here, but in this weather, it might take longer."

"I won't get there on time, there is no point. I'm not sure I really want the job anyway." The man looks at him, almost pleadingly. It's as if he can see right through to Arthur's core. It's quite unnerving, and Arthur wants to help him. 

"Sales?" Arthur asks, trying to decipher the man's profession, just by looking at him.

The man snorts. "Could you picture me selling anything?"

The man is insane, Arthur would buy anything from this gorgeous specimen of a man. Dear lord.

"Well, what is your line of work then?"

"Web content...boring stuff, really. Not really what I want to do..." the man trails off.

"What do you really want to do then?" Arthur finds he really wants to know.

"Photography," Merlin says hugging himself.

"Cool. Lots of beautiful scenery hereabouts, when it's not pissing down,...uhmm, what's your name anyway? I'm Arthur." The man is smiling at him, his lips blue and trembling.

"Merlin."

Arthur barks out a laugh. 

"What? That is really my name. And, before you start, I've heard all the jokes. And, no, I didn't make it rain." Merlin glares daggers.

"Well, Merlin, we are both pretty soaked and unless you have magic, I need a hot bath and you can have one, too, if you want. I can take you to my farm back there. In any case, your clothes need drying. And your hair..." Arthur stares at the way Merlin's fringe is plastered to his forehead. He had no right being so damned hot when drenched. "Uhm, I'll call Percy down at the village garage. He can tow your car to his shop. He's pretty invincible, our Percy. He will brave any weather. We can charge your phone, too, so you can phone up the web content people in Exeter," Arthur explains all this while making a skilled U-turn and bombs back up towards his homestead, without actually hearing a yes from Merlin.

Merlin is rubbing his hands together, his teeth chattering.

"How long have you been standing down there on the roadside, Merlin?" Arthur asks, his gaze flitting between the road and Merlin.

"Too bloody long?" Merlin buries his hands in his armpits, his whole body shaking.

"That tie couldn't keep you warm?" Arthur really can't help himself sometimes. What a thing to say. Jesus. He just can't get the image of that tie out of his head...

Merlin snorts.

Arthur pulls up outside the main house and they both hit the ground running. It still pelting down.

"Jesus." They say in unison, once inside, both sopping wet. Merlin starts giggling, as if drunk. It's fucken infectious. Arthur joins in.

TO BE CONTINUED?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I live in perpetual plot bunny hell. Tell me whether this should turn into a WIP or can we just say: And then they lived happily ever after, for the rest of their lives and then some? Hmm?


	3. I will never let you leave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merlin undressing was a sight Arthur was not prepared for.

Safe from the downpour outside, Arthur watched Merlin dab at his face with his soaked jacket sleeve.

"Take off that soaked jacket, Merlin. I have a heater and dry, clean clothes in the utility room off the kitchen. We can hang our wet clothes to dry there," Arthur took a hold of Merlin's elbow, indicating they should hurry before there was a veritable pool of water on Arthur's nice hardwood floor. 

"Thank you, Arthur. This is really nice of you..."

"Don't thank me yet, thank me when I've managed to get that heater working. I hope to god it still works," Arthur sent a quick prayer to the powers that be.

They walked through the spacious yet cozy living-groom with a huge fire place and Merlin stared longingly at it.

"Yeah, after I find us some dry clothes I will most definitely start that up..."

"Do you have hot chocolate?" Merlin all but waved a figurative tail.

Arthur quwaffed.

"What are you? Twelve?" Arthur cursed himself inwardly, when Merlin shook Arthur's hand off his elbow. Arthur hadn't let go of it apparently...His hand felt quite bereft and his heart was screaming.

"If you must know", Merlin began sulkily, "I have always had a dream of sipping a hot mug of hot chocolate in just such a setting, with rain pouring down outside, and a nice man....," Merlin's voice became a muttering.

Arthur quirked an eyebrow, but his heart was soaring like an invincible eagle, majestic and all-conquering. Merlin. Was. Gay.

"So, where is this utility room of yours, hmm? I'm still sopping wet. Your promised dry clothes."

Merlin was gay. G.A.Y.

"Arthur?" Merlin was waving his hand in front of Arthur's face.

"Huh?"

"I'm wet."

"Me too," Arthur gazed at Merlin's sulky, succulent pout as if dazed.

"Clothes?" 

"Clothes? YES! Clothes! I will get you clothes, Merlin. And I do believe I have some Cadbury's Hot Chocolate in the kitchen cabinet, too, so there".

"Really?"

Merlin looked even more adorable all hopeful. And he was gay!!

 

The utility room was a complete disaster. Clothes and all kinds of crap everywhere. Arthur had not intended to entertain guests in it, at least not guests he kind of wanted to impress.

"Let me just grab some of these things. I've recently come home from a roadtrip to the US. I bunged everything in here. I have laundered loads but not ironed or anything. It's a complete disarray."

"You iron?" 

"Of course, I iron. I am a nice modern man", Arthur couldn't help but emphasise the word *nice* and *man*. Arthur couldn't help the stuff that came out of his mouth, but Merlin's smile was encouraging.

"Can I hang my jacket here, on this hanger? My shirt is drenched, too, and I stained it, by the car."

Arthur nodded and couldn't help but stare as Merlin removed his jacket to reveal a lovely narrow waist. Arthur was so fucked.

"I saw you kicking it," Arthur squeaked, all manner of teasing comments forgotten, watching Merlin begin unbuttoning his dress shirt.

       

 

Arthur was so fucked.

 


End file.
